A connector 201 shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 have conventionally been used for electric automobile, and is designed to be connected with a connector 9 of a charge cable for charging a battery of the automobile (see PTL 1).
The connector 201 is provided with a housing 202, a cover 203 pivoted by the housing 202 and covering openings 221a, 222a of the housing 202, a latch 204 pivoted by the housing 202, holding a state that the cover 203 covers the openings 221a, 222a by it being engaged with an edge 233 of the cover 203 covering the openings 221a, 222a, and shafts 207, 208.
The housing 202 is made of synthetic resin, and is provided with a housing main body 220, a flange 223 disposed annually on an outer peripheral face of the housing 220, a pair of attachment plates 224 disposed separated from each other on the outer peripheral face of the housing main body 220, to which the cover 203 is attached, and a pair of attachment plates 225 disposed separated from each other on the outer peripheral face of the housing main body 220, to which the latch 203 is attached. The pair of attachment plates 224 is provided with axis holes through which the shaft 207 is passed. The pair of attachment plates 225 is provided with axis holes through which the shaft is passed.
The housing main body 220 is provided with a plurality of terminal cavities 222, and a housing cavity 221 receiving a hood part of the connector 9 of the charge cable. The terminal cavities 222 extend in a direction engaging with the connector 9 of the charge cable, and at an upper end and a lower end of the housing main body 220 openings 222a, 222b are formed. From the lower opening 222b a terminal with an electric wire (not shown) is inserted, and from the upper opening 222a a terminal of the connector 9 of the charge cable (not shown) is inserted. These terminal with electric wire and the terminal of the connector 9 of the charge cable are engaged in the terminal cavity 222.
The cover 203 is made of synthetic resin, and is provided with a plate 232 overlaid on the upper end of the housing main body 220, an edge 233 disposed at an outer edge of the plate 232, and a base 230 disposed at the outer end of the plate 232 opposite to the edge 233. The base 230 as shown in FIG. 9 is provided with an extension part 236 extending from the outer edge of the plate 232, and a pair of shaft attachment plates 237, 238 extending from the extension part 236 and opposed to each other. The pair of shaft attachment plates 237, 238 is provided with axis holes 231 through which the shaft 207 is passed.
Furthermore, the pair of shaft attachment plates 237, 238 is positioned between the pair of attachment plates 224 of the housing 202, and by the shaft 207 being passed through the axis holes 231 of the pair of shaft attachment plates 237, 238 and the axis holes of the pair of attachment plates 224, the cover 203 is pivoted rotatably by the housing 202. The cover 203, when the connector 9 of the charge cable is plugged into the housing 202, opens the openings 221a, 222a, and, when other then charging, covers the openings 221a, 222a to prevent water or dirt from entering into the housing 202.
The latch 204 is made of synthetic resin, and is provided with a shaft 241 through which the shaft 208 is passed. This latch 204 is positioned between the pair of attachment plates 225 of the housing 202, through the shaft holes 241 and shaft holes of the pair of attachment plates 225 the shaft 208 is passed, and thus is pivoted rotatably by the housing 202.